This invention relates generally to woodworking tools and more particularly relates to a multipurpose portable fixture for hand held woodworking power tools. The portable fixture of the present invention allows for controlled multidirectional operations with the woodworking tools on a workpiece. For example, the portable future allows controlled movement of the woodworking tool through at least four planes. Without limitation, the portable fixture allows controlled linear movement, tipping, turning, arcing, and plunging of the woodworking tool. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that a variety of woodworking tools may be mounted to the portable fixture of the present invention to perform a variety of operations on the workpiece.
Over the years, handheld woodworking tools have been utilized to perform various operations on a workpiece. For example, routers and router bits have been utilized to cut various shapes along the edges and across a workpiece. Oftentimes, the workpiece is held stationary and a router is moved around the perimeter edge of the work piece, cutting the shape into the edge of the workpiece. The router may include a plunger that allows the user to control the depth of the shape cut in the edge of the workpiece. Alternatively, the router has been mounted to a table and the user moves the workpiece past the router bit, cutting the shape of the router bit into the workpiece. In the past, multidirectional use of the router on the workpiece has been limited.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,561,478 issued to Fields describes a router jointing fixture capable of moving the head of the router linearly in the x and y axis of the same horizontal plane. The workpiece may be tipped relative to the horizontal plane. Fields does not describe controlled rotation or linear movement for multidirectional operations on a workpiece. U.S. Pat. No. 4,098,170 issued to Russell and U.S. Pat. No. 4,458,736 issued to Trevor describe engraving and routing machines that allow for directional movement in a predetermined horizontal plane. However, these references do not show or describe a fixture suitable for mounting a variety of handheld power tools, wherein the handheld tool may be manipulated in multiple directions through multiple planes in a controlled manner. The present invention meets these and other needs that should become apparent to those skilled in the art.
It is accordingly a purpose of the present invention to provide a multipurpose portable fixture adapted for securing a power tool thereto, allowing multidirectional operations on a workpiece. The portable fixture of the present invention generally includes a base, an extension member extending outwardly from the base, and a support frame that supports the hand held power tool. The support frame is releasably attached to the extension member, wherein the support frame may be rotated about an axis of the extension member. Further, the extension member includes a slot extending therethrough, thereby allowing for linear displacement of the support frame along the slot. The support frame includes a drive system that may control linear displacement of the support frame relative to the base and extension member.
The base of the portable fixture includes an alignment member extending from the bottom surface of the base. Without limitation, the alignment member may be adapted for engagement with the longitudinal slot of a table saw that runs parallel with the saw blade. The base may further include drive systems attached to the base for controlled linear displacement of the base through the x and y axis and rotational displacement through the same. The advantages of the present invention will become readily apparent to those skilled in the art from a review of the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment especially when considered in conjunction with the claims and accompanying drawings in which like numerals in the several views refer to corresponding parts.